MSCAdvocacy

Research Policy & Development

International Advocacy for the Strategic Alignment of MSCA Cooperation Mechanisms in Key Partner Countries and Regions

The project is supporting the EC in a more strategic orientation of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions focussing on 20 countries and 6 regions.

The MSCAdvocacy project combines knowledge on and supports involvement in R&I policy dialogues, expertise on MSCA cooperation mechanisms and promotion, vast networks to key stakeholders, extensive experience in the workings, potential and challenges of MSCA promotion in third countries with a state-of- the-art service and support framework to unleash the full potential of MSCA.

Learn more from the MSCA factsheet.

The aim of the "International Advocacy for the Strategic Alignment of MSCA Cooperation Mechanisms in key partner countries and regions" (MSCAdvocacy) project is to provide direct support to better align MSCA cooperation mechanisms of 20 key partner countries and 6 regions with the European Commission’s (EC) Global Approach to Research and Innovation (R&I), i.e. “Europe’s strategy for international cooperation in a changing world”. Ultimately this means to better leverage MSCA international outreach at policy level, improve access to MSCA’s research and funding programmes, rebalance mobility flows, and recommend solutions for matching funding issues. In order to achieve this, the project will become the strategic link between

the European Union’s external policy objectives,
bilateral and bi-regional S&T agreements with key partner countries and regions,
the corresponding R&I cooperation roadmaps and action plans, and
MSCA promotion in the field.

With MSCA being the central international component of Horizon Europe (HE), its researcher mobility programmes directly contribute to the objective of the EC’s Global Approach such as strengthening commitment to international openness and fundamental values, rebalancing towards a level playing field and reciprocity, ensuring a free exchange of ideas and fostering research in key areas such as a green transition, the digital transition, global health, and innovation.

In awareness of existing challenges in MSCA and EU external policy objectives, the MSCAdvocacy project supports the EC to strategically aligning participation and cooperation mechanisms for MSCA to the priorities set on policy level. This will be done by providing background reports to the bi-lateral and bi-regional policy level between EU and key partner countries and regions, work with MSCA stakeholders in key partner countries and regions on the ground to improve MSCA cooperation mechanisms and promotion, and, finally, gather all analysis, reviews, experiences, and lessons learnt to provide recommendations on how to strategically align MSCA cooperation mechanisms with the European Union (EU)’s external policy objectives.

Key partner countries are: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United States.

With regard to regions, the focus is on the African Union, ASEAN, LAC, Mediterranean partner countries, Eastern Partnership countries and Western Balkans.

The ZSI team is a main contributing partner to the workpackages "Coordination and Support Mission: Promotion of MSCA cooperation opportunities" and "Dissemination, exploitation, communication".